Vibratory contact device



Dec. 14, 1937. c. GUEDON VIBRATORY CONTACT DEVICE Filed Augflal, 1955 5 circuits in connection 15 current at a higher Patented Dec. 14, 1937 PATENT OFFICE 2,101,902 VIBRATORY CONTACT nsvrca Emile C. Guedon, Audubon, N. J., assignor to a Radio Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Application August 31, 1935, Serial lN'o. 38,739

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to vibratory contact devices, and more particularly relates tovibratory electrical contact devices of the type adapted to control or function in power supply with radio receiving apparatus and the like for vehicles. Such devices are commonly known as vibrators.

For use with radio receivers, devices of this character are employed in potential changers 10 and adapted rapidly to make and break electrical circuits in connection with a step-up transformer and in connection with a low voltage battery such as an automobile storage battery, to produce an alternating current or a rectified potential for the anode circuits and the like. The operation of such devices involves the mechanical operation of a vibratory reed or armature and the interrupting or opening and closing of electrical circuits,

which tend to produce undesirable sound and electrical disturbances in connection with the operation of radio apparatus.

Vibratory contact devices are now extensively used in connection with potential changer sys- 25 terms for automobile radio receivers and are usually encased in metallic shields which tend to prevent electrical disturbances from being radiated thereby and to reduce the noise of operation.

Such devices, while requiring closed shields and sound proof containers, require inspection and adjustment, and itis an object of the present invention to provide an improved vibratory contact device which may readily be assembled in manufacture and opened for inspection and adjustment while, at the same time, it is eifectively electrically shielded and quiet in operation.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an electrical vibrator or interrupter unit having an improved arrangement of operating elements and an improved mounting means T therefor in a shielded container, whereby said device is prevented from radiating electrical disv turbance and mechanical noise. It is a further object of the present invention to provide in a shielded container an improved mounting means for an electrical vibrator or vibratory contact. device which permits the vibrator elements to be electrically insulated and spaced from the walls of the container while the 0 vibrator unit is releasably mounted resiliently in the container without permanent fastening means.

The invention will, however, be better understood from the following description when consldered in connection with the accompanying drawing and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view substantially full size of an electrical interrupter or vibratory contact device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar cross-sectional view of the device of Fig. 1 drawn on the lines 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view also on the same scale as Figs. 1 and 2 taken on the line 3-3 of Fig.2; and

Fig. 4 is a schematic circuit diagram of electrical connections for the device of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 in connection with voltage transforming means of a potential changer system for a low voltage source of power supply, to provide high voltage alternating current or'direct current.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a metallic casing is provided comprising a shallow cup-shaped rectangular base 5 into which is seated the open end of an elongated rectangular can 1 to provide a closed container. The base and can are of conducting material such as sheet metal and may be constructed of sheet metal parts welded, or otherwise secured together as indicated more clearly in Fig. 3. In this case, a U-shaped member providing the end wall 9 (Fig. 2), and the side walls II, is engaged along its edges by two channel members l3 forming the front and rear walls of the container. These parts are preferably welded together. The base and the can members are held in interlocking engagement with each other by the flange of the base and by suitable means such as short threaded studs [5 provided with clamping nuts H, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the studs being carried by the inner Walls of the can member and welded thereto as indicated at l9 (Fig. 1) with the ends pro-, Jecting through the base.

The base is also provided with a central opening 2| in which are mountedsocket prongs or terminals 23 one strip of insulating material 25 carried by the base on the inner face thereof as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. By the provision of the mission of sound therefrom. To aid in the sound large size with respect to the vibrator unit to be enclosed thereby and is provided with an inner lining or sound isolating casing of resilient material such as sponge rubber, comprising a. hollow block 21 of such material mounted in the can and a solid block or layer 29 of the same or similar resilient material adapted 'to close the open end of the hollow block and the open end of the can as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

, The inner'face of the block or layer 29 of resilient material is slotted as indicated at 3| and the inner side walls of the hollow block are similarly slotted as shown more particularly in Figs. .1 and 3 at 33 to receive three of the edges of a fiat thin plate of insulating material 35 on which the vibrator operating elements are mounted as a unit.

When the vibrator device is mounted in vertical position with the prongs down, the mounting plate stands in a vertical position in the slots thereby being resiliently mounted with respect to the outer shell by the inner casing or envelope. The vibrator or interrupter unit is therefore held by its edges and with the parts thereon as shown in spaced relation to the inner walls of the casing.

The plate 35 is a combined insulating and mounting plate for the vibrator parts or elements which may comprise an operating electromagnet 31 secured to one face of the plate 35 and an armature; member 39 arranged to be attracted thereby and comprising a bar mounted on a short flat spring 4| which is secured to the armatureand to one end of the magnet 31 by screws indicated at 43, Fig. 2. The armature is provided with a contact arm 45 which extendsupwardly through a slot 41 and between two adjustable contacts 49 and 5| carried by elongated pivoted arms 53. The arms 53 are insulated from each other and are mounted on the plate 35 bya pivot bolt 55. A lower contact arm 51 is also provided on the armature and operates in conjunction with an adjustable contact 59 carried by a pivoted arm 6| similar to the arms 53 and having a pivot bolt 63 corresponding to the bolt 55.

The armature extension 45 carries a contact 55 which moves with the armature between the adjustable contacts 49 and 5|. The lower contact 59 and the upper contacts 49 and 5| are ad justed by moving the arms 53 and 6| about the pivot bolts until the air gap is so adjusted that the contact 59 makes and breaks properly with a contact 61 on the arm 51 to energize and deenergize the magnet thereby causing the armature to vibrate, and the contact 55 to make and break evenly with the contacts 49 and 5|. The

arms 53 and 5| are then clamped into position by the bolts 69 and 1|.

The operating elements are thus mounted on opposite sides and in balanced relation to a rectangular fiat plate of insulating material forming a single mounting and insulating member therefor which, in turn, is resiliently gripped along its edges by an inner casing of resilient material having slots for positioningthe plate thereby to space the operating elements of the device between the inner walls. An outer closed casing of conducting material is provided and both the inner and outer casings being adapted to be opened for inspection of the vibrator unit.

It will be seen that by opening the casing and removing the block 29, the vibrator 'unit may be withdrawn from the hollowcontainer and ininsulation, the shell or casing is of relatively connections being omitted from the drawing for the sake of simplifying the same and being shown more clearly in the potential changer circuit diagram of Fig. 4 to which attention is now directed.

In Fig. 4 the same reference numerals are used to designate the corresponding parts of Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The vibrator casing is indicated by the circle 13 and contains the operating electromagnet 31, the armature 39 and the contacts 49 and 5| associated with the armature. The lower arm is shown at 51 with the operative contact 59 adjacent thereto.

The operating coil 51 is connected to the contact 59 through a lead 15 and to a terminal prong 11 which is connected through a lead 19 with a center tap 8| on the primary 83 of a step-up transformer 85. The lead 19 is also connected with a positive supply lead 31 of a low voltage source of operating potential.

The contacts 49 and 5| are connected through leads 89 with terminal prongs 9|, which, in turn,

are connected to the leads 93 with the terminals 95 of the primary winding 83. The armature is connected to a terminal prong 91 and to a negative supply lead 99 of the low voltage supply source, which is grounded as indicated at IN and connected .with an output lead I03. The terminal or socket prongs 11, 9| and 91 are provided with suitable receptive jacks or terminals "32." The lower arm 51 is connected with the armature electrically as indicated and is closed with the contact 59, whereby the operating electromagnet 31 is energized from the supply source causing the armature to move toward the electromagneaf breaking contact with the contact 5| and engaging with the contact 49. The armature under spring action is returned upon breaking of the contact 59 which de-energizes the electro-magnet 31, and assumes the position shown, when the action is repeated.

'Through operation of the armature in connec through output leads 19. Additional contacts associated with the armature in the same' manner as the contacts 49 and 5| may be connected as indicated by the dotted connections 3 to rectify the secondary voltage in connection with the terminals I05, and the rectified current may be taken through a supply lead 5 connected to a center tap 1 on the secondary and the low voltage output lead I93.

Since the operation and circuits in connection with vibratory contact devices for power supply are known and understood, further description is believed to be unnecessary.

It will be seen, however, that the device as shown and described provides eifective shielding for the operating parts and, since the outer casing is of metal, it may be grounded as indicated at H9 to conduct stray currents directly ground.

Therelatively thick internal casing comprising two separable portions serves to provide additional efiective sound insulation and resiliently to hold the vibrator unit in a predetermined position in spaced'relation to the internal walls without additional fastening means other than the simple slot in at least two of the walls of the internal casing to engage it along the edges of the mounting plate. The device is, therefore, readily assembled in manufacture and may be easily opened for inspection and adjustment.

The hollow interior container having a. single open end closed by a fiat block of resilient material tends to provide a resilient lining of low cost and one which is easily assembled since the flat block 29 enters the end of the outer shell and seats on the end of the vibrator mounting plate. The interior lining is then held slightly in compression by the base'which} is clamped against and around the open end of the outer can.

The device is adapted to operate as a potential changer with low voltage direct current as a source of power supply to provide anode and other B potentials for an automobile radio receiver. The device provides a removable mechanical interrupter unit resiliently mounted without additional holding means in a slot in the interior walls the sound isolated magnetic interrupter.

I claim as my invention:

1. An electrical vibrator device comprising, in combination, a metallic casing having separable portions interengaging to provide a closed electrical shield and container, means providing inner walls for said casing of resilient material; certain of said walls being recessed, and an electrical vibrator mechanism having portions engaging said walls within the recesses to hold said unit in spaced relation-to the interior of said casing, said recesses and walls forming the sole supporting and positioning means for said mechanism.

2. An electrical vibrator device comprising, in combination, an, electrical shield casing, means providing resilient interior walls for said casing having two spaced elongated slots, a plate member extending across the-interior of said casing and having edges engaging in said slots, and an electrical vibrator mechanism mounted on said plate in spaced relation to the interior walls of said casing.

3. Anelectrical vibratoredevice comprising, in combination, an electrical shield casing, means providing resilient interior walls for said casing having two spaced elongated slots, 9. plate member extending across the interior of said casing and having edges engaging in said slots and\an electrical vibrator mechanism mounted on said plate in spaced relation to the interior walls of said casing, said first named means comprising an interior casing having separable portions corshell,

responding to the separable portions of said outer casing. I

4. A vibratory contact device comprising, in combination, an outer metallic shell providing an electrical shield and including two separable portions, one which is an elongated open ended can, an inner casing for said shell comprising a hollow block of resilient material seated in said can and having an open end adjacent the open end of the can, a block of resilient material adapted to seat against the open end of said inner casing and to f close the open end of said can, a slot in at least two of the walls of said inner casing, and a vibrator unit mounted in said inner casing and comprising a fiat plate engaging the slots in the inner walls thereof, whereby said vibrator unit is mounted in spaced relation to said walls and is resiliently supported within said outer metallic shell.

5. A vibratory contact device comprising, in combination, an outer metallic shell providing an electrical shield and including two separable portions, one which is an elongated open ended can, an inner casing for said shell comprising a hollow block of resilient material seated in said can and having an open end adjacent the open end of the can, a block of resilient material adapted to seat against the open end of said inner casing and to close the open end of said can, a slot in at least two of the walls of said inner casing, and a vibrator unit mounted in said inner casing and comprising a flat plate engaging the slots in the inner walls thereof, whereby said vibrator unit is mounted in spaced relation to said walls and is resiliently supported with said outer metallic insulated socketed terminals projecting from said outer shell and adapted to be connected with said vibrator unit, whereby said device is detachable from an electrical circuit.

6. In a potential changer system operable with a. low voltage direct current source and supplying highvoltage operating potentials for radio receiving apparatus and the like, a vibrator device comprising an outer shell of conducting material providing a closed container, an inner casing for said shell of resilient material providing slotted spaced inner walls, an electrical vibrator unit mounted in said inner casing and having edges engaging the slots in said inner walls to hold the operating elements thereof in spaced relation to said inner casing, and means providing insulated electrical contact prongs for said vibrator unit extending exteriorly of the outer shell.

EMILE C. GUEDON. 

